Lifestyle 15 | The Michelin Effect

Mr Clarke meets Mr Antona, the fabulous restauranteur and owner of The Cross in Kenilworth and the newly revamped Simpsons in Edgbaston, to discuss the newest Michelin starred restaurant, Carters in Moseley and property prices. Sell your home with Mr & Mrs Clarke and we will treat you to dinner for two at The Cross, Kenilworth. It’s official. The gold starred wielding food critics form Michelin have spoken. Birmingham is the best place to eat out of London. With more gold stars than those other cities I care not to mention, Birmingham is widely being seen as a foodies hotspot.

The most recent Michelin star is for Carters of Moseley. Well done Carters, you clever people. You have not only earned yourself a gold star you have changed the property market in Moseley and probably Kings Heath down the road. I’m not being over the top here, research has shown that the year after a local restaurant receives the accolade from Michelin, local house prices get an uplift of more than 5%. So please be upstanding and join with me in applauding Holly Jackson & Brad Carter of the wonderful Carter’s.

I can already hear the naysayers snub this research but facts is factual and stats are always true! However, I do take this research with a big pinch of cornish sea salt. I’m not necessarily equating a shiny star to property prices directly but it is a sure sign that an area is a great place to live. Those people thinking of selling their property will take this research with open arms. It may also prompt buyers to look at the property market and think about buying a house in the area.

Taking my job very serious I thought I should research this Michelin star effect on property prices further and I headed straight to my favourite restaurant, The Cross in Kenilworth for a chat with the godfather of Birmingham’s restaurant scene; Andreas Antona. Mr Antona is the charming owner of The Cross and Simpsons, Edgbaston. Who better to ask what comes first; Michelin Star or expensive houses?

Kenilworth, Edgbaston, Moseley are all great places to live for many reasons, not just because of The Cross or Simpsons. The schools are great, there is good transport and the fact is they are nice places. We concentrate on quality food, not the effect we have on property prices. Was the honest response when I asked such a silly question about some frivolous research.

Mr Antona knows that Birmingham is on it’s way up and that the city is an exciting place to live and work. Mr Antona and the chefs at Purnell’s and Turners are not just creating culinary masterpieces, they are cooking up aspiration. I’ve sat and listened to presentations on how Birmingham can attract more businesses and how we can inspire people to move to the Midlands, and the second city is doing a great job. Big money is being spent on infrastructure but it’s aspiration that will make people love Birmingham and food and drink is a a sure way to peoples hearts. What is that old age…?

As the Birmingham Mail put it: With the likes of HSBC and Deutsche Bank shifting jobs with six-figure salaries here, what would be the point if they all commute in from Oxfordshire? I couldn’t agree more.

Mr & Mrs Clarke Estate Agency are selling a four bedroom home in King’s Heath at the momentclick here and interest is coming from buyers across the country who are relocating to the city for work. We hear Moseley is cool. Apparently King’s Heath is the up and coming area. Well, I can now say with authority that they are correct and it is thanks to the talented chefs like Brad Carter and the restauranteurs like Mr Antona. Well done chaps.

Mr & Mrs Clarke Estate Agency are offering a meal for two at The Cross to anyone who instructs Mr & Mrs Clarke to sell their house.

Offer available until 30th November, 2015. The offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. When a seller instructs Mr & Mrs Clarke Ltd to sell their home they will receive a £150 voucher to be used at The Cross, Kenilworth (subject to availability).